Chinese Man's 'Puffy Face' After Night Of Drinking Turns Out To Be Rare Heart Condition

What began as a seemingly harmless hangover turned into a life-threatening medical emergency for a 33-year-old man in China. After waking up with a swollen face and puffy eyelids following a night of drinking, he assumed it was just the aftermath of alcohol. But what followed revealed a much more serious cause - a rare heart condition that nearly cost him his life, the New York Post reported. 

When the swelling didn't subside, he visited doctors, who initially found no heart issues but noted high levels of protein in his urine. He was sent home with medication - but things got worse. Over the next few weeks, the swelling spread across his body, his abdomen bloated, and he began experiencing chest tightness and shortness of breath.

Three months later, with his condition deteriorating, he was rushed to Qilu Hospital in Qingdao, where doctors finally diagnosed the real issue: a ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSOVA) - an extremely rare condition affecting less than 0.1% of the population.

According to a report in the Journal of Medical Case Reports, the rupture may have been triggered by strenuous physical activity after drinking, which led to fluid buildup and systemic swelling.

Doctors performed emergency surgery, and the aneurysm was successfully repaired. The patient has now recovered without complications 18 months post-surgery.

Experts note that RSOVA is often overlooked in younger patients because it's typically associated with older individuals. However, doctors now stress the need for early detection, especially in young adults showing symptoms of heart failure - including breathlessness, swelling, and fatigue.

Warning signs of a weak heart, according to cardiac surgeon Dr Jeremy London, include difficulty breathing while walking or lying down and swelling in the legs or body - symptoms that shouldn't be ignored, especially after intense physical activity or alcohol consumption.

This rare case is a reminder that not all post-party symptoms are harmless - and that sometimes, a puffy face might signal something far more serious than a hangover.